Ghana must invest in state-of-the-art forensic laboratories and modern emergency services to avoid the need to send critical samples abroad for analysis, according to a criminologist and lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The call comes after authorities sent samples of the charred remains of eight helicopter crash victims to South Africa for DNA analysis.
Dr Opoku Ware, who made the remarks during an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio, described the situation as an “indictment” on Ghana.
“For a country like Ghana, it’s an indictment on us not to invest in systems that can help us analyse DNA or even conduct all forms of forensic analysis,” he stated.
Dr Opoku Ware urged authorities to prioritise and fund these crucial facilities, arguing that Ghana has progressed far enough as a nation to be “deprived of these systems”.
While acknowledging the high cost of DNA analysis, he drew a parallel to the COVID-19 pandemic, where institutions like the Noguchi Memorial Institute and the KNUST KCCR played a vital role in conducting tests for the country. He emphasised that a similar investment is needed for forensic science.
Beyond forensic labs, Dr Opoku Ware also underscored the need for Ghana to invest in air ambulances and other emergency services to make it easier to respond to accidents like the recent helicopter crash.
He questioned the country’s readiness, asking, “Do we even have a national air safety transportation board that will be in charge of attending to aeroplane and helicopter crashes? I don’t think we have it.”
He recalled that President Mahama, in a national address on the crash, announced the setup of an investigation board. Dr Ware used this example to stress the importance of building robust institutions to handle such incidents.
He concluded by emphasising the need for Ghana to get its “priorities right” and dedicate resources to areas that will help deal with emergencies effectively, stating, “What happened after the crash does not give us a very good image of ourselves.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
